National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs):
Planning the IGF 2016 Activities
- Open Consultations and MAG Meeting: NRIs Informal Meeting 5 April 2016, Geneva, Switzerland, WIPO Building, Room A -
About
1. During the IGF 2016 First Open Consultations and MAG Meeting, an informal meeting for members of the National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs) was held on 5 April 2016 from 13:15 p.m. to 14:15 p.m. CET.
2. The main purpose of the meeting was for the 2016 MAG members and the representatives of the NRIs to meet in person and exchange their views on the NRIs 2016 activities in conjunction with the IGF’s preparations for the IGF 2016.
3. The Informal Meeting was moderated by Ms. Marilyn Cade, MAG member. Brief remarks were provided by the 2016 MAG Chair, Ms. Lynn St. Amour, as well as by the Mr. Wai-Min Kwok on behalf of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and Mr. Chengetai Masango from the IGF Secretariat.
4. A sign-in sheet for the attendance record was distributed among the participants. The List of Meeting Participants is attached to this summary report as Appendix A1.
Summary Report
5. The meeting opened with an explanation of the purpose of the meeting as mentioned above, and the need for fostering the dialogue between the IGF, MAG and NRIs. Ms. Marilyn Cade explained that during the Substantive Session at IGF 2015, the Coordinators agreed on the term “Reflecting“ from the NRIs into the IGF, and from the IGF into the NRIs. This was documented in the outcomes of the NRIs substantive session during the IGF 2015, where the NRIs called for more engagement in the IGF intersessional work and related decision making processes.
6. In line with above, the attendees were advised that the mentioned decision resulted in creating two surveys: 1) reflecting the overall work and internal organization of the NRIs and 2) aiming at gathering the suggestions for themes that could potentially be reflected into the 2016 IGF intersessional work. These Themes were posted to the full MAG list, and are attached in Appendix A2.
7. Mr. Markus Kummer, Secretary to IGFSA, spoke briefly to explain that there is a program for financial support for the NRIs. The Initiatives were called to visit the IGFSA website for more information, with at the same time pointing out that the IGFSA first condition for reconsidering the applications, is that the NRIs are in a communication with the IGF Secretariat and that they comply with the Secretariat’s basic requirements.
8. The 2016 MAG Chair, Ms. Lynn St. Amour, expressed the support for intensifying the work between the NRIs and this year’s MAG in line with her support and compliments for the produced work by now.
9. Mr. Chengetai Masango called the NRIs members to submit their inputs for work improvements to the IGF Secretariat as well pointing out that there is a strong will within the Secretariat for intensifying the working modalities on this.
10. Many voices were raised for the necessity of involvement of the NRIs into the IGF’s intersessional work. In reference to this, the moderator reminded that the coordinators of the national and regional IGF initiatives have submitted a set of concrete proposals to the IGF Secretariat for the Taking Stock of the IGF 2015 for the improvements of the IGF 2016 with calling for detailed analysis of the submitted content and potential implementation.
11. The ongoing work between the IGF Secretariat and the NRIs received the support along with suggestion for its continuation.
12. Some participants from the new, “under formation” Initiatives reiterated the need for the NRIs to influence the selection of themes and sub-themes as a subject of the IGF’s intersessional work, explaining that it is crucial to bring the Internet governance related issues from local to global level.
13. A suggestion regarding the need for more communication between the National and Regional IGF Initiatives, was referenced by one speaker.
14. In reference to the communication approaches between MAG and NRIs, it was noted that the 2016 MAG has many new appointees who are active members of NRIs, or a new Initiative under formation.
15. Among the themes supported by the NRIs second survey, Connecting the Next Billions – Phase II received strong, support as well as the UN’s Sustainable Developing Goals intersecting with Internet Governance, among others.
Next steps
5. It was unanimously supported that the NRIs are the key outcome and income of the IGF’s work, and that the MAG should develop effective mechanisms for systematically gathering of those inputs and their integration in the overall intersessional work.
6. The Substantive Session IGF 2015 Survey results [results attached in Appendix 2], include concrete and objective indications for the need for work improvements of the process and issues, for the purposes of enhancing the cooperation between the global IGF and the IGF Initiatives in the same time aiming at ensuring the continued strong support from the IGF Secretariat.
7. Next Meeting: Following the final decisions of the First Open Consultations and MAG Meeting, it was decided that the next virtual meeting for the representatives of the NRIs should be scheduled for the week of 18 April, 2016. The Secretariat will schedule a doodle poll and distribute it trough the NRIs mailing list.
8. The Secretariat will distribute a summary of meeting through the national and regional Initiatives’ mailing list: [email protected].
APPENDIX A1
MEETING PARTICIPANTS
- Aida Mahmutovic, MAG Member/Bosnia and Herzegovina IGF/SEEDIG
- Ana Neves, Portugal IGF
- Anja Gengo, IGF Secretariat
- Avri Doria, MAG Member (online participation)
- Baher Esmat, ICANN
- Brian Gutterman, IGF Secretariat
- Carolyn Nguyen, Microsoft (online participation)
- Cedric Wachholz, UNESCO (online participation)
- Cheryl Miller, MAG Member
- Christina Monti, EuroDIG/European Commission
- Christine Arida, Arab IGF/North African IGF
- Cisse Kane, African IGF
- Deirdre Williams, observer (online participation)
- Douglas Onyango, MAG Member (online participation)
- Eleonora Anna Mazzucchi, IGF Secretariat
- Eva Christina Anderson, observer (online participation)
- Flavio Wagner, MAG Member/CGI.br/IGF Brazil
- Fotjon Kosta, Albania IGF (online participation)
- German Valdez, MAG Member/APrIGF
- Giacomo Mazzone, MAG Member/EuroDIG/Italy IGF
- Ginger Paque, MAG Member (online participation)
- Izumi Okutani, MAG Member, Japan IGF
- Julian Casasbueans, MAG Member/Colombia IGF/LAC
- Jutta Croll, EuroDIG
- Lee Hibbard, Council of Europe
- Liyun Han, CNNIC
- Luis Bobo Garcia, IGF Secretariat
- Lynn St. Amour, MAG Chair
- Marilyn Cade, MAG member/IGF USA
- Markus Kummer, IGFSA
- Michael Nelson, MAG Member
- Michael Oghia, observer (online participation)
- Miguel Ignacio Estrada, Argentina IGF
- Olivier Crepin Leblond, France IGF
- Peter Dengate Thrush, MAG Member (online participation)
- Renata Ribeiero, MAG Member (online participation)
- Ron da Silva, observer (online participation)
- Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro, MAG Member/Fiji IGF (under formation)
- Samantha Dickinson, observer (online participation)
- Sandra Hoferichter, EuroDIG
- Segun Olugbile, MAG Member/Nigeria IGF
- Silvia Bidart, MAG Member (online participation)
- Tchonang Linle Michel, Observer
- Towela Jere, MAG Member (online participation)
- Virat Bhatia, MAG Member/FICCI
- Wanawit Ahkuputra, MAG Member/Thailand IGF (under formation)
- Wisdom Donkor, MAG Member/Ghana IGF
- Zeina Bou Harb, MAG/Arab IGF
APPENDIX A2:
The supporting documents that were used during Meetings:
- The Public Call for the N/RIs for Suggesting Themes for the 2016 global IGF Intersessional Work: Presenting First Results.
Available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17Fn8WvqsSZR1ZpMkpeSayYVgG5eW6FuJtnaxlbElwEY/edit?usp=sharing
- Results of the survey presented at the IGF 2015 available at the IGF website here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16YODlTq7Io_WZjF-NYi_UKUZtKrHo2pwWDQy-RbIBYY/edit?disco=AAAAAiX79Gc
- NRIs submission for IGF 2015 Taking Stock, available here:
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/documents/igf-meeting/igf-2016/takingstock/697-contribution-from-national-and-regional-igfs